Suction cleaner



Aprif 22, 194L n. G. SM1-:LME 2,238,917

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan. 5, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l l Mmmm INVENTOR ATTORNEY .April 22, 1941. D. G. SMELUE 2,238,917

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan. 5, 1958 s sheets-sheet 2 INVENToR MVS-M ATTORNEY April 22, 1941. D. G. sMELLIE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan. 5, 195e s sheets-sheet INVENTOR an ald 61 Sme/lie ATTORNEY .Patented Apazz, 1941 i A i 2,238,917

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER Donald G. Smelle, Canton, Ohio, assigner to The Hoover Company, VNorth Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 5, 193s, serial No. 18ans 6 Claims. (Cl. 15-6) The present invention relates to suction cleanthe reciprocating agitating elements arc actuers in general and particularly to new and novel ated by the rotary agitator; improvements in surface-agitating means in a Figure 4 is a vertical section upon the line 4-4 suction cleaner. More particularly the invenof Figure 3 and again shows the means by which tion comprises a suction cleaner in which rotary 5 the rotary brush drives the reciprocating beater agitating means and reciprocating agitating elements;

-means are removably mounted and are posi- Figure 5 is a section upon the line 5--5 of Atively driven in a new and novel manner. Figure 3 and discloses the means, there being It is `an object of the present invention to proone at each nozzle end wall which seats the rovide a new and improved suction cleaner. It 153W agitator Within the HOZZIC; is another object of the invention to provide a Figure 6 is a section through the nozzle with new and -improved suction cleaner embodying the cleaner inverted, the lip frame pivoted thererotary and reciprocating agitating means. A from, and the rotary brush unit partially restill further object of the invention is to provide moved from the nozzle; a suction cleaner in which the reciprocating Figure 7 is a section through a cleaner nozzle agitating means are driven by new and novel showing a second preferred embodiment' of the means from the rotary agit-ating means. Still invention in which the agitator-carrying lip another object of the invention is to provide a frame is formed as an integral part of the resuction cleaner in Which the rotary agitating movable bottomplate for the air passageway means and the reciprocating agitating means leading from the nozzle to the suction-creating are mounted in an improved manner which refan chamber; l

sults in better operation and greater ease of re- Figure 8 is a section similar to Figure 3 but moval and replacement. Still another object of through the third preferred form of the invenn the invention is to provide new and improved tion in which the rotary brush unit can be pivmeans by which the reciprocating agitator is oted from the nozzle with the lip frame; actuated from and upon the rotation of the ro Figure 9 is a view of the third embodiment of tary agitator which is driven from the power the invention showing the rotary brush unit and means of the cleaner. Another object of the the lip frame in the displaced position; invention is to provide a suction cleaner in Figure 10 is a section upon the line lil-l0 of which the reciprocating beater elements are car- Figure 8 and shows the lip frame retained in ried by the nozzle lip construction while the place within the nozzle.

actuating means therefor are carried by the ro- In the modern suction cleaner the cleaning tary agitator unit. A still further object of the effectiveness of the moving air stream is supple invention is to provide a suction cleaner in whic mentecl by surface agitating means. These reciprocated beater elements pivot about an axis 5V agitating means may preferably comprise a rowhich is substantially in the plane of surface tary brush and reciprocating rigid beater eleagitation. These and other more specific obments. The latter deliver to the surface coverjects will appear upon reading the following ing a positive beating action which dislodges specification and claims and upon considering therefrom deeply embedded foreign material in connection therewith the attached drawings i while the former functions to straighten thepile to which they relate. v to giveb to the covering an improved appearance. Referring now to the drawings in which pre The rotary brush can well be rotated from the ferred embodiments of the present invention are shaft of the driving motor of the cleaner and disclosed, and in which the same reference charis preferably positioned within the nozzle. Acacter refers to the same parts throughout: 'L' cording to the present invention the reciprocat- Figure l is a side elevation of a modern sucing agitator is actuated by the rotary agitator 'tion cleaner with the nozzle side wall broken and the two agitating means are both positioned away to show the agitating means positioned within the cleaner nozzle where they are suptherein: ported' and interconnected in a new and novel Figure 2 is a bottom view of the nozzle ofthe "u manner. An advantage of the invention lies cleaner shown in Figure 1t in the fact that the reciprocating rigid beater Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure elements are pivoted about an axis which lies 2` and shows the rotating support for the rotary substantially in the plane of surface agitator brush, the pivotal mounting of the reciprocating thereby resulting in a beating blow which is beating elements, and the drive means by which "7 normal to the surface covering.

Y I8 from the motor shaft.

'Referring again to the drawings and to Figures 1 to 6, in particular, the rst preferred form of the invention is disclosed. A suction cleaner comprising a nozzle I, a fan chamber 2 with an exhaust outlet 3, together with a motor casing 4, also includes an air passageway formed with a removable bottom plate 6 which connects the nozzle I to the fan chamber 2. A dust bag 1 is removably secured to the exhaust outlet il by manually operable means .8 .and a pivoted handle 9. which includes position-controlling means I 9, provides means by which the operator may propel the machine over a surface covering undergoing cleaning. The cleaner rests upon front and rear supporting wheels I l, II and I2, l2 respectively. An unshown driving motor within the motor casing 4 drives the lsuction-creating fan I5 within the fan chamber 2 while the eX- tended end of the motor shaft I6 passes downwardly into the air passageway 5 where it isk formed as a pulley surface I1 to seat a powertransmitting belt I 8 which extends forwardly into the nozzle through the air passageway.

The foregoing, together with themanually op- A erable means I9 by which the rear wheels may be raised and lowered to vary the height of the' nozzle I above the surface covering completes the cleaner structure which is purely conventional.

A reciprocating agitating unit 22, perhaps best illustrated byk itself in Figure 6, is positioned within the nozzle and comprises a lip frame including a forward transverse surface-contacting element 23, which functions as the front lip of the nozzle I, and rearwardly extending side arms 24, 24 each of which includes a flat surface contacting part 25. A reciprocating agitator comprising end plates 26, 26 and rigid elongated beater elements 21, 21 completes the unit and is pivotally mounted upon the lip frame by pivot pins ,Y 29, 29 mounted` in the arms 24, 24 ofthe frame.

As these agitating elements 21, 21 are adapted to move upwardly and downwardly and as they extend beyond the side arms 24, 24 of the lip frame, each arm is recessed at 28, 28 so as not to interfere with such movement. The entire reciprocating agitator unit is pivotally mounted to the end 1 walls of the nozzle I upon pivot pins 30, MI positioned immediately -above the lip 23. l

Unintentional displacement of the reciprocating agitating unit downwardly from the nozzle is prevented by the extension of the lip frame side arms 24, 24 over the rear lips 33 of the nozzle which is formed as a part of theremovable bottom plate 6 of the air passageway 5. The bottom plate itself is secured to the underside of the nozzle casing in the manner shown in Figure 5 in which a rounded abutment 34 at the nozzle end seats upon a nozzle carried rounded shoulder 35 to permit the rear end`of the plate to be raised against the underside of the fan chamber 2 where it is secured in place by suitable manually operable latching means 36, indicatedoin Figure 1. The presence of a rubber gasket 31 between the bottom plate 6 and the nozzle casing insures that the parts will make a good seal and that unintended dislocation will be prevented.

Also within the nozzle I is a rotary brush unit the principal element of which comprises the 'romanner. agitatineielements suchas brushes 4,2,

end plate-44 which is counterbored interiorly to seat a ball bearing 45 and is formed exteriorly with an eccentric 46. A through supporting shaft 48 extends through the body 4l), through.

the end plates 44, 44and eccentrics 46, 46 and with its flattened ends seats within Vertical slots v49, 49 at each nozzle end wall. A pivoted spring 59 extends across each slot 49, being movable within limits set by the stops 5I, 5I and upon being contacted by the shaft end and forced against the upper stop 5I exerts va resilient downward force thereon.

The rotary agitator is supported within the nozzle, and prevented from unintentional downward displacement therefrom, by support housings 55, which enclose the eccentrics 46, 46 and the edges of each of which seat within a channel or groove 56 which extends around the nozzles interior. Each housing 55 comprises principally a plate 51 the upper three sides of which seat within the groove 56, while the bottom side thereof is supported by the flat surface-contacting portion 25 of the reciprocating agitating units side arm 24. Plate 51 is centrally bored to enclose the end plate 44 adjacent the eccentric 46 without making contact therewith and also carries a thread guard 58 which encloses the end y of the agitator body. Upon the plate 51 screws 6I, 6I etc. removably secure an open bottom cupshaped member 6i) the outer wall of which seats upon shaft 48 where it is retained bya threaded nut member 62. As the main portion of member 66 is spaced from the main plate 51 there is formed .therebetween a housing which encloses the eccentric 46 and within which is positioned the power-transmission means by which the reciprocating agitator is actuated upon the rotation of the rotary brush.

Seated upon each eccentric 46, with only a sleeve bearing therebetween, is a collar from diametrically opposed points on which extend pins 66, 66. lAn actuator plate 68 is pivotally supported by housing plate 51 through a pivot 69, which is aligned with the pivots 29, 29 and are formed resilient seats 13, 13 which contact the elements 21, 21. Obviously the rotation of the eccentric 46 will translate the collar 65 with l the pins 66, 66 sliding within the bearings 10,10 while pivoting the actuator plate 68 about its pivot 69.

The operation of the invention constructed in accordance with this first embodiment of the invention is as follows: Upon being placed in operation, as by the operator closing an unshown motor-controlling switch in the usual manner, the unshown motor rotates and drives through its shaft belt I8. The rotation of the fan I5 creates a reduced pressure which is effective within the nozzle I to draw cleaning air therethrough, and to lift the surface covering undergoing cleaning upwardly into contact with the lips 23 and 33. The power transmitted to the belt I8 results in the rotation of lthe rotary agitator the agitating elements 42 of which contact the surface covering between the nozzle lips .23 -and 33. As the I6 the suction-creating fan I5 and.' the body 40 rotates the eccentrics 46 at its ends reciprocate theactuators 68, 68 through an angle which is equal to twice the eccentricity of the eccentrics 46, 46. The actuator plates 68, 68 which are in direct contact with the beating elements 21, 21, are pivoted upon the pivot pins 69, 69 as is illustrated in Figure 3, resulting in the reciprocation of those beater elements through an arc which is normal to the surface covering at the point of contact therewith.

In the event that it is necessary to remove the rotary agitating unit comprising the'rotary brush and the power-transmission means which are connected thereto, it is only necessary first to remove the bottom plate 6 of the air passageway 5. This is accomplished by moving the latch 36 to permit of the downward displacement of the rear end of the plate after which the abutment 34 at its forward end can be disengaged from its overlapping relationship with .the shoulder 35. The displacement of the bottom plate 6 also removes the rear nozzle lip 33, which is formed thereon,v and thereupon the side arms 24, 2,4 of the reciprocating agitating unit can pivot outwardly from the nozzle in the manner shown in Figure 6. Thereafter the rotary agitator assembly can be displaced outwardly from the nozzle, also in the manner indicated in Figure 6.

Replacement is exactly the reverse operation,

` the rotary agitator assembly is inserted into the nozzle, the edges of each plate 51 seating within a channel 56 formed therefor, and each `end of the agitator shaft 48 seating within a slot 49 in the nozzle end wall. Near the upper end of each slot 49 the resilient spring 50 contacts the shaft to oppose resisti-ngly any further movement and resiliently forces the bottom edge of plate 51 against the surface-contacting parts 25, 25 of the reciprocating agitator unit, and specically of the pivoted lip frame, when that lpart is pivoted into the'nozzle from its displaced position. Thereafter, and upon the positioning of the bottom plate 6 by inserting the abutment of abutment 34 over the shoulder 35 and the'pivoting of the rear end thereof upwardly to permit the latch 36 to be engaged, the entire assembly is positively secured in operative relationship.

Referring now to Figure '1, in particular, the second preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed. This form differs from the first ernbodiment essentially in that the bottom plate 6 is fixedly and permanently secured to the rearwardly extending side arms 24, 24 of the lip frame whereas in the first embodiment the lip frame and the bottom plate were-separate, the

bottom plate functioning to prevent the downward pivotal displacement of the lip frame when in place. The operation of this form of the invention is identical with that first described and the differencein structure is important only when the nozzle is to be opened to displace the agitating means therefrom. In this embodiment the operation of the latch 36 at the rear of the bottom plate 6, the latch being shown in Figure 1, permits the bottom plate together with the lip frame comprising the front nozzle lip 23 and the rearwardly extending side arms 24. 24, to pivot outwardly about pins 30, 3U and when in the open position the rotary agitator unit is removed precisely as in the rst embodiment. The

cleaning operation of all parts are identical with their operation in the first embodiment.

Referring now to Figure 8, 9 and l0, in particular, the third preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed which distinguishes from the iirst two embodiments in the manner of inscrtion and removal of the agitator units from the nozzle. According to this form of the invention a rotary agitator unit is pivoted from the nozzle directly with a reciprocating agitator unit which includes the lip frame and the reciprocating agitator.

The reciprocating agitator unit 22 of this embodiment includes the front nozzle lip 23 with its rearwardly extending side arms 24, 24 which is pivoted upon pivot pins 30, 30 above the front lip just as in the rst embodiment. Also, as in the first embodiment, downward displacement of the unit is prevented by the rear lip 33 carried by the separately detachable bottom plate 6. In the rst embodiment, however, the flattened ends of the agitatorshaft extend into slots 49, 49

formed in the end walls of `the nozzle, whereasl in the present embodiment each lip frame arm 24 is itself provided with a shaft-receiving slot 15 which opens upwardly and which is adapted to receive the end of the agitator shaft when the frame is 'pivoted from the nozzle, as illustrated in Figure 9. Cooperating with the slot 15 is a wire spring 16 which extends across its lower extremity to lie over a supporting pin 11.

With the agitator in place and the shaft ends positioned within the slots 15, 15 the shaft actually rests upon the springs 16, 16 which urge the agitator, together with the'housings 55, 55A

at the ends thereof, upwardly to retain the upper edges of the plates 51, 51 l.within their channels 56, 56 at each end of the nozzle. In this embodiment the rear contour of the grooves 56l 56, as well as the rear edge of each plate 51, 51 have been shaped to permit the unit to pivot out wardly from the nozzle about the supporting pins 30. 30 without binding.

In operation this form of the invention functions exactly in ther manner of 4the first embodiment. The distinctions in structure are important upon the assembly and disassembly of the device. To disassemble this embodiment of the invention the bottom plate 6 is removed, as in the first embodiment, and thereafter the lip frame is pivoted downwardly about the pins 36,`

30. With the frame in this embodiment, however, comes the rotary brush unit to the posi tion illustra-ted in Figure 9, after which the rotary agitator unit can be displaced from the frame by sliding the shaft 48 from the slots 15, 15. The springs 16, 16 contacting each end of the agitator shaft 48 maintain a vibrationless fit between the housings at the end of the agitator and the nozzle within which they t.

In each embodiment of the invention it is characteristic that the pivotal axis of the recip rocating vertical beater elements 21, 21 lie substantially in the plane of surface contact of those elements which results in an operation in which the blow delivered to the surface covering is substantially normal to that surface thereby eliminating the horizontal components of movement.

I claim:

' 1. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a rotary agitator unit displaceably positioned in said nozzle and including a rotary agitator and power transmission means positioned axially adjacent said rotary agitator to transform rotary into reciprocating motion, and a vertically reciprocating agitator removably positioned in said nozzle including a reciprocating agitator, underlying said rotary agitator unit and retaining it in place in said nozzle.

2. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a. ro'tary brush formed with an eccentric-at its end, a collar with a trunnion seated on said eccentric, a reciprocatory agitator pivoted substantially in the plane of surface agitatiomand an actuator slidingly enclosing said trunnion and connected to said reciprocatory agitatory to reciprocate the latter upon the rotation of lthe brush.

3. In a suction cleaner, a rotating member, an eccentric rotatable with said member, a collar formed with trunnions carried by' said eccentric, a pivoted actuator slidingly enclosing said trunnions and adapted to be reciprocated about its pivotal axis uponthe-'rot-ation of said eccentric, a reciprocating agitator comprising spaced beater elements mounted for pivotal movement about an axis parallel .to the axis of said actuator, said k actuator being lformedwith resilient seats to contact and actuate said agitator.

4. In a. suction cleaner, a nozzle, a rotary' agi- -tator unit in said nozzle including a rotary agitator, stationary removable supporting housings at each end of said agitator seating said agitator in said nozzle, and motion-transforming means in said housings to transform rotary to reciprocatory motion; and a reciprocating agitator unit in said nozzle including reciprocating agitating elements connected to said motion-transforming means and actuated thereby and means to retain said rot-ary agitator unit in said nozzle.

5. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a rotary agitator unit in said nozzle including va rotary agitator,.a housing at each end of said agitator, an eccentric rotatable with said agitator in said housing, a trunnioned collar in said housing, and an actuator pivoted in said housing and slidingly enclosing the trunnions of said'collar; and a reciprocating agitator unit including a reciprocating agitating element connected to said actuator, and means to retain said rotary agitator unit in said nozzle.

6. In la suction cleaner, a nozzle, a rotary agitator including a stationary supporting shaft and a rotary -body in said nozzle, a stationary housing xedly secured to the stationary shaft at the end of said body, an eccentric Aactuated by said body extended into said housing, an actuator pivoted to said housing'and operatively connected .to said eccentric, means to secure said housing in said nozzle to position said rotary agitator and said actuator, and a reciprocating agitating element pivoted at the end of said rotary agitator for reciprocation with a vertical component and operatively connected to said actuator.

DONALD G. SMELLI-E. 

